Scouts end Jamboree tired and wet, but with new friends and memories
By David Joyner
Published in News on August 5, 2010 2:14 PM
By Tuesday night, Tuscarora Council Boys Scouts attending the National Jamboree were exhausted.
They had been packing since two o'clock in the afternoon in hope they would be able to get on the road home early Wednesday. With all of their tents folded, portable kitchens broken down, and personal gear packed, the group fell into their sleeping bags under waterproof tarps -- the only structures yet to be taken apart.
About two hours before they had intended to awaken, however, safety officers from the Jamboree staff were making their way from campsite to campsite, alerting troops of an approaching thunderstorm.
The 40 or so Scouts and Scouters quickly made their way to the commissary tent where, along with six other troops, they waited out the storm.
Thankfully, when they made it back to their campsite a few hours later, nothing had been damaged by rain, though some items were soaked. Since the sun was now up and transportation was already on the way, the group began to load the tractor trailer that would transport their gear back to Four Oaks, North Carolina, the site of Camp Tuscarora. At half past nine, the trailer was loaded and Scouts were on the bus pulling out of Fort A.P. Hill.
Arriving back at Camp Tuscarora in mid-afternoon, the boys unloaded their personal gear before moving on to the troop's equipment -- much of which was still wet. They set up cots and a few tents which had been rained on the night before, letting them dry. Once the chores were finished, the Scouts were released to head home.
The past 10 days have proven to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Boys in Troop 1726 had opportunities to meet Scouts from Hawaii, Thailand and Sweden. Scouts have been given a new perspective on the brotherhood of Scouting nationally and internationally. Celebrities such as Olympic gold medalist Shaun White and NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon spoke to Scouts about setting goals. Some boys even got the chance to scuba dive or to ride a zip line.
Members of Troop 1726 of the Tuscarora Council wish to thank their adult leaders. Mr. Dave Parker, who served as scoutmaster, and Mr. Doug Lamb, Ms. Crystal Benson and Mr. Jonathan Holt, who served as assistant scoutmasters, all spent countless hours prior to the event preparing for the long-term camp out.
I wish to thank The News-Argus for its eager support of the Jamboree's Hometown News project and for allowing me to participate in it.
Indeed, the last days at "The Hill" were some of its best. A world record for CPR training was broken and the largest fireworks display on a military fort took place.
The next Jamboree, in 2013, will be held at a new location, The Summit: Bechtel Family National Scout Reservation. Scouts are already eager to see the new site, which is in West Virginia.